Lotus Wei - Energy Mist, Serum and Elixir (Pure Energy)

Sound the gong for Part Two of my Lotus Wei flower essences feature!

Hibernation mode..

Since most of NYC has shut down as of last night from the blizzard, I'm in full-on hibernation mode, and, I kinda love it!  I'm taking the time to be productive and thought I'd share my agenda for the day:

• Morning yoga (Check! And here's the video)
• Mopping (I told you I have a slight obsession...Check!)
• Cooking (In case anyone cares, [sidenote, is this blogger overshare?] it's broiled chicken - which I forgot to turn because I was writing this - and brussels. Check!)
• Surfing my favorite websites while listening to 30's jazz singers (Check!)
• Pillaging my DVR while enjoying a nice glass of wine (or three...)
• Treating my face with a little face mask/scrub (I'll be applying my Sibu purifying mask, followed by a spritz of rose hydrosol and then my Argan oil from Destiny Boutique)
• Pre-bedtime relaxation ritual courtesy of Lotus Wei Inner Peace serum and mist, and the latest book I'm reading

What are your hibernation routines?  Share below!

Lotus Wei - Energy Mist, Serum and Elixir (Inner Peace)

Cue the trumpets!  Today's post (and actually the next two as well, as this will be a three part bonanza) is on the much feted Lotus Wei flower essences.

What I'm Trying - The Wet Brush

I finally caved recently and, ignoring the slightly skeevy name and "made for TV"-esque packaging, bought one of the most talked about brushes in, well, the brush world (yes, that is a place, trust me) lately.

I'd had to suppress years of it being pounded into my head that you never, ever, brush your hair while wet.  Or else!!

However after hearing about this brush being the second coming to the air-dried, letting your natural waves flow look (currently the look I've been sporting since I don't have to be at a desk at 9am anymore, and let's face it, it's a lot healthier for your hair), I had to try it for myself.

I'm not sure how it beats a wide-toothed comb, but the vociferous advocates on Youtube (one in particular who was so excited about the brush she barely got a word in between curses), along with the cheap price ($9 at Target) convinced me.

I used it for the first time recently to distribute a hair mask through my hair (I'd been involved in a photo shoot at a hair salon recently and it involved heavy heat work on my hair, so I wanted to give it a little extra TLC when I next washed it) and I will say it did a jolly good job of doing so.  It wasn't the miracle detangler that others rave about (seriously, people have said that it's saved their relationship with their screaming brush-averse children) for me on the first go, but perhaps that was because I hadn't conditioned it yet (this was post shampoo and pre-mask) so my hair had pretty much no slip and a lot of knots.  Post mask, it did glide nicely through my hair, but this was most likely due to the fact that a) I'd already brushed all the knots out, and b) my hair had a lot of slip at that point as I was heavy handed with the mask.

Is this really the miracle brush people say it is? I'm not sure yet, but I'll come back for a round two update once I've gone through a couple of regular hair wash and co sessions with it.

Sugar Scrub v. Salt Scrub

Among the very eco-conscious, there's a trend now to avoid scrubs that contain beads that are not bio-degradable. And since it's so easy (and cheaper!) to make your own (biodegradable) scrub, I thought I would open the sugar vs. salt debate (well, and then there's coffee grinds as well but we'll save that for later!).

The main difference boils down to the fact that as sugar particles are finer, they are gentler on the skin (although I wouldn't advocate for using either on the face), so if you have sensitive skin this is a better pick.  It's also more scrumptious aromatically if you're blending with coconut oil and perhaps some vanilla extract - yum!

Salt, while a bit harsher on the skin, has cleansing and purifying properties that sugar does not. I'm currently using Valentina's Home Brewed Salt Scrub in Protection, which contains three of my favorite EO's: Frankincense, Myrrh and Patchouli. While I adore the smell and the concept, the salt particles are a bit rough for my skin and tends to irritate it so I likely won't repurchase sadly.

Whichever exfoliant you pick, it's incredibly easy to make your own scrub at home. My mother uses a very simple and effective combination of sugar and olive oil. You can add to that any essential oil of your liking.  Clary sage would be a great choice to uplift your mood (and for women it has a positive effect on hormones). Ylang ylang is another affordable and refreshing smelling EO. Or you can keep it simple and simply combine sugar or salt with an oil of your choosing: olive, grapeseed, argan, jojoba, sesame, peanut, almond, etc. etc.

Exfoliating your skin weekly (I wouldn't recommend more than twice a week max) helps prevent body breakouts as well as ingrown hair, and is overall a great addition to your shower or bath routine.

I am Fire..

Wellll technically I'm water from an astrological perspective, but I fell in love with the above graphic as it really represents to me my intention for 2015. I had a fun crafty project recently with a friend, in which we created vision boards for this year, and if you haven't already done so, I highly recommend it! The basic premise is that you cut out phrases, words or images (or all three!) that speak to what your goals and aspirations are for this year. Then paste it all together and put somewhere in your home where you'll occasionally view to keep top of mind what your intentions are. I know it sounds a little woo-woo, but trust me, you'll be glad you did it!  I love looking at mine; it swings more toward the image-heavy side (with some strangely random pics of wildlife), but I was able to find some great words and phrases that really resonated with me.

It's a perfect project for the weekend if the weather is cold or dreary. Grab a friend, a glass of wine (or three), a face mask and have fun!


(Image courtesy of Giovanni Cosmetics - a fantastic natural hair care brand. I'm a big fan of their Ultra-Sleek collection, I use the hair and body super potion every time I wash my hair, it's one of my "holy grail" products)

It's All Nuts..

While away visiting family over the holiday I, in a moment of desperation, concocted a new smoothie recipe as I didn't have my usual go-to ingredients, and it turned out quite well so I thought I'd share!

It's full of protein and calcium, but a bit low on greens, so I'll be alternating this recipe with the green one I wrote about here.

Nutty Banana Strawberry Smoothie:

• 1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (you can also use unsweetened plain soy yogurt which is also nice)
• 1/2 banana
• 1 tablespoon unsalted almond or cashew butter 
• 1/8 cup raw organic walnuts
• 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds
• 4-5 whole fresh or frozen organic strawberries

The Greek yogurt and nut butter make it incredibly creamy (as does the soy yogurt, which I've also started using as a substitute for regular yogurt) and the walnut pieces add a lovely rich taste.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

*Smoothie tip: place liquids on the bottom and solids on top for best blending action.

Monday Mood Board

Now that winter is in full swing I find myself living la vida hermit a tad more often, but what could be more satisfying than a night in when it's in the single digits with a good movie, a good face mask on, and a good bottle of red...no?

I also find myself drinking tea more regularly in the afternoon (typically Ceylon or Earl Grey and preferably accompanied by a cookie, so apparently cold weather has turned me into a Brit...jolly good!) and being a bit more fanatical about keeping the nest spic n' span. I've discovered a totally out of character urge to mop a lot, which I never knew (or thought!) I'd have..

And of course I've been trying to keep my skin happy, which becomes even more challenging than usual in cold weather months. I had a thankfully brief appearance of eyelid eczema (who knew this was a thing?!) which I promptly treated with my helichrysum blend (discussed here) with seeming success. Although every time I'm near a mirror now I paranoically scrunch up one eye to check for re-appearances...I'm sure it looks totally normal to anyone who happens to witness it..

However when I do venture outdoors I comfort myself with the knowledge that I am getting a service that Hollywood celebs spend an arm and a leg for, for free! It's called "cryotherapy" and it involves freezing your butt off in a "cryosauna" in the hopes that it boosts metabolism and reduces cellulite...I'm so glad we now have a name (and beauty perk) for what East Coasters call "winter."  Now if only I could get my daily free treatments fabulously à la a Golden Age film siren, complete with turban and vintage fur. Who's with me!

Happy Monday!

What I'm trying - Nellie's Laundry Soda

I have a confession, I like doing laundry...I'd do it every day if it weren't bad for the environment - is that weird? It makes me feel productive - not sure what that says about the rest of my life!  And I'll admit, it was the adorable metal tin that sealed the deal for me on this detergent, although I DID need more detergent and I WAS looking for something natural. Based on the rave reviews online, I thought I'd give this a whirl and put it to the test for the first time this week. 

I tested it out the other day and I would give it a solid B+ on the first spin (har har). As other consumers noted, it made my clothes feel softer and with no noticeable fragrance, just a clean smell. My white athletic socks did seem whiter. On the downside, there were a couple of items that didn't get cleaned really. Although that possibly was my fault - reminder to self, turmeric stains! Guess I'll have to find some other way to take off a turmeric/honey mask other than a washcloth..

Final take-away: I'll keep using at it seems pretty good for an eco-friendly detergent, and, did I mention the adorable packaging??


*As always, all products are purchased by me unless otherwise stated, and of course my opinions are 100% my own.

It's the pits...Schmidt's Lavender + Sage deodorant

A darling in the blogosphere, I decided to give Schmidt's deodorant a try as I've become increasing less enchanted with my crystal deo stick lately. Somehow the container that holds the crystal has come apart, it's messy and its performance has been unreliable of late (never a good thing with deo!).

I purchased the Lavender and Sage, and it truly does smell like real lavender, and not some sort of approximation. I've only begun to delve into the pot, and on my first go I found it tricky to apply as it's crumbly. The upside to the texture though is that once applied it dries to a powdery and not tacky finish (i.e. Tom's of Maine, blech) and when warmed by your fingers/body it congeals.  The thing of it is, I actually don't mind using my fingers to apply deodorant, I just wish this were creamier out of the jar - which given the baking soda and arrowroot is probably impossible.. Despite the challenging consistency at the outset, I'm not letting it deter me yet as I love the combination of ingredients (listed below) and the fact that Schmidt's is a small company, founded a few years ago in Portland, OR, and dedicated to natural products.

Ingredients: Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), Maranta arundinacea (arrowroot) powder, Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, Salvia sclarea (clary sage) essential oil, Lavandula (lavender) essential oil, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Humulus lupulus (hop) extract

In a preliminary try, it's worked well, however I'll update the post when I've fully put it through its paces; in the meantime, have you tried Schmidt's? Comment below!

*After a week of daily trial, I must say, so far so good! It's definitely a step up from my crystal stick and if you can get past the somewhat messy application I would recommend giving it a shot. One word of caution however, I wouldn't recommend applying directly following shaving.

Josie Maran Winter Dreams set

Even though the holidays are over (wah), I thought I'd share this adorable kit I spotted during a recent trip to Sephora for all those who have friends or family with January birthdays, or if anyone wants to get a jump on Valentine's Day. At $39 it's actually quite a good deal for the full sized contents and I just love the dreamcatcher motif.

The kit contains:

100% Pure Argan Oil Light 
Argan Illuminizer
Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelée in Poppy Paradise 
 Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadow
Argan Black Oil Mascara 

I have the Illuminizer in my make-up arsenal, which I love as it's not at all sticky or tacky - and a very little bit goes a looong way so it's lasted me ages. You can mix with your foundation to create a dewy all-over glow, or spot highlight with it. I've also used the Argan oil light (a lighter version of the regular Argan oil and even better for applying pre-foundation) and the watercolor eyeshadow, both of which are great and the latter of which come in a beautiful array of colors (very easy to apply with fingers and create a lovely multi-shaded eye I might add).

I really love Josie's natural and multi-use approach to beauty and products, so this kit is a great way to get to know the brand, or if you're already a fan, to grab a good deal.

DIY - Make Your Own Facial Oil Blend

Last night's Sunday ritual involved sitting with a homemade turmeric/manuka honey mask on (read more about manuka honey here) and watching an old Joan Crawford melodrama, followed by an application of my new DIY facial oil blend. I thought I would take the opportunity to share my blend, along with a rule of thumb for making your own. 

Ratios:

1% dilution:5-6 drops essential oil per ounce of carrier oil
2% dilution:10-12 drops essential oil per ounce of carrier oil
3% dilution:15-18 drops essential oil per ounce of carrier oil

The 1% is recommended for those with sensitive skin; the 2% for normal; and 3% I wouldn't advise for facial use as it can be too strong - but fine for something like a hair mask.

My blend (in a 1 oz. amber bottle):

1/2 argan oil
1/4 avocado oil
1/8 rosehip oil
8 drops helichrysum
3 drops patchouli
*If I had enough, I would've reduced the avocado and added Seabuckthorn oil. In summer months I would sub out avocado for sesame.

This is a great blend for someone with sensitive skin, as well as anyone looking to reduce acne scars or redness/rosacea.  If you're acne prone, I would sub out the avocado for sesame oil.

Have an issue you'd like to make a blend for and don't know where to start? Comment below!

What I'm trying - Helichrysum (aka Immortelle)

Happy New Year!

I don't know about y'all, but I couldn't be happier to ring in a new year! And somehow the first order of business has resulted in the domestic bug biting me and sending me to Target in a cleaning supply shopping frenzy..go figure!

In other news, I've finally added a much coveted essential oil to my collection: Helichrysum.  Hurrah! It had been at the top of my wishlist for quite some time, but the steep price had kept it languishing on the list until I happened upon a sale at New Leaf. I'd been so keen to try helichrysum as it has been highly touted for helping to reduce redness associated with rosacea. However upon further research I gleaned that this powerful flower essential oil has been prized since ancient times for its benefits both in anti-aging and in first aid. It's highly effective in treating burns as well as with scar reduction. I'm interested to see if it can fade old acne scars...I'll report back!

For something with such a romantically fancy name - "Immortelle", its smell is...ermm, not very delightful. While some have described a honey-like top note, to me it just smells heavily herbaceous. 

How I'm using:

I've made my own blend using the following carrier oils: argan, rosehip and avocado, and added several drops of Helichrysum. If I weren't running low on it, I'd add a few drops of Seabuckthorn oil as well - which should make the blend even more effective in rosacea treatment. Since avocado and argan are a bit heavier, I'll be applying this blend in the evening. When the warmer weather returns, I'll sub out avocado for some sesame oil.

If you can't spring for the essential oil but are interested in trying out what this "liquid gold" can do for you, L'Occitane has a whole range featuring Immortelle.